NAGPUR: Some 32 months after lapse of deadline given by Nagpur bench of Bombay high court, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has finally proposed to execute works with Rs21.06 crore to strengthen Ambazari lake’s embankment, including spillway. The chances of further delay cannot be ruled out as the civic body has proposed to seek majority of funds from the state government.
NMC standing committee will take a decision on the proposal to spend Rs21.06 crore on the works in a meeting on December 29.
As per the proposal, water resources department (WRD) has submitted list of works costing Rs21.06 crore for strengthening of embankment including spillway. MahaMetro will contribute Rs3.35 crore. NMC will bear Rs3.14 crore to be spent on strengthening of spillway. Remaining amount will be sought from the government.
NMC has also proposed to get works done through WRD.
TOI had many times highlighted lack of inspection and works on 148-year-old embankment for decades. Then, MahaMetro dug a part of the embankment and constructed Metro Rail corridor’s pillar in 2017.
Activist Mohammed Shahid Sharif filed a PIL in HC highlighting threat to embankment as well as people since lake is situated well within the city. Hearing the PIL, the HC order dated March 21, 2018, had directed government agencies to finalize plan for strengthening the embankment before April 15, 2018, and begin works immediately.
A petition was filed by another activist Pravin Mahajan before Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) highlighting lack of works despite lapse of HC’s deadline. MWRRA had passed strictures on NMC and other agencies, and chalked out a comprehensive plan for strengthening of the embankment.
The civic body had challenged MWRRA’s order in HC following which a stay was granted. At the same time, HC passed strictures for the delay. Therefore, NMC has now moved the proposal to execute the works.
Another proposal before the standing committee is to construct mini sewage treatment plants (STPs) on 12 nullahs at a cost of Rs1.12 crore. The treated sewage will be utilized for watering NMC’s gardens situated at 12 locations.
Third proposal is to increase charges of documents provided by NMC’s town planning department and zone offices related to building plan and city’s development plan. If approved, people will have to pay higher charges. For an example, existing charges for providing part plan is Rs160 and proposal is to hike it to Rs6,800. Similarly, charges of 13 more such services will be increased to a great extent.
One proposal is to extend tenure of 99 retired servicemen working in NMC’s Nuisance Detection Squad by 11 months. Their tenure lapsed on November 18.
The NMC social welfare department has proposed to give financial assistance of Rs1.95 crore to 99 persons with disabilities and one organization related to them for generating self-employment.